Refuse collector for sink drains



May 23; 1950 R. 1.. KROBOTH REFUSE COLLECTOR FOR SINK DRAINS Filed Dec. 22, 1945 IN V EN TOR.

M mm. M// Kw H K m r A Patented May 23, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFUSE COLLECTOR FOR SINK BRAINS Robert L. Kroboth, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 22, 1945, Serial No. 636,719

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to sinks, washbasins and laundry trays and has particular reference to a device embodied in the drain connections therefrom to the sewer or cesspool into which all liquid refuse is discharged.

To this end, the invention consists in that combination herein fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 shows the conventional drain connections from a sink, into which the present invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the upper portion of the invention as it appears when removed from the sink;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of an annular member mounted within the device for the purpose which will be hereinafter explained.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes a drainpipe, such as is conventionally used in kitchen sinks, to carry off the liquid accumulating in the sink. In the drainp-ipe is commonly mounted a trap 2 to provide therein a water seal the purpose of which prevents gases accumulating in the sewer connections from escaping through the drainpipe and to rise into the kitchen.

The diiflculty with this arrangement is that much grease and small particles pass through the sink strainer and the drainpipe gradually to accumulate within the trap and the connections therefrom, eventually to clog the passage to the sewer. The result is that the attention of a plumber is required to clean out the sewer connections from the sink, and this is not only a disagreeable but also an expensive operation, which the device of my invention is designed to eliminate.

For the purposes of my invention, the bottom of the trap is fitted with an externally threaded, annular flange 3. The device of my invention takes the form of a container 4, preferably of conventional fruit jar shape, the neck of which is internally threaded to seat on the screw threads of the flange 3. A gasket 5 is placed between the top of the container and the trap to provide a tight joint at this point.

With this container mounted in position, I have found that the greasy refuse which ordinarily will settle in the trap and the connections therefrom will sink into the container and gradually accumulate therein. Where the container is made from somewhat transparent material, it is seen that it may be quickly detached, cleaned out or, because of its simplicity and cheapness, replaced by a cleaned and sterilized container.

When the sink drain is opened to dispose of a considerable accumulation of liquid refuse containing solid and semi-solid matter, it may occasionally be found that the ensuing disturbance within the trap, in the form of eddies, is sufficient to cause some of the solids and semi-solids to be carried along in the liquid through the trap. In. order to check such disturbance, I have found it necessary to place at the entrance to the container a baiile member consisting of a flat annular rim 8, from which extend inwardly and downwardly a frusto-conical flange 6, which latter is transversely slotted substantially as indicated at 9, IE], in Fig. 3, to provide a series of identically shaped equidistantly spaced trapezoidal lips Ii. The rim 8 comes to rest on an annular shoulder l of the container and it is held in position thereon by the bottom edge of the downwardly projecting outlet 3 of the trap. The diameter of the central opening l2 through the flange may vary somewhat without materially influencing the effectiveness of the baiile member, the important point being that it is the slotting of the flange to provide the truncated lips which is essential in order to prevent the formation of eddies at the entrance to the container.

It is seen from thi description and by reference to the drawings that I have provided a very simple and inexpensive refuse collector which may be readily removed and reseated by the average house worker.

I claim:

In combination with a drain trap having at the bottom thereof an annular flange externally threaded, a refuse collector in the form of a transparent jar having in the neck thereof screw threads for engagement with the screw threads of said flange, there being in the neck of the jar a shoulder below the screw threads thereof, a gasket between the rim of the jar and the base of the flange, and an annular baiile member seatable on said shoulder and freely maintained in position thereon by the bottom rim of the flange, the member having a plurality of equidistantly spaced trapezoidal lips downwardly and inwardly extending therefrom.

ROBERT L. KROBOTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Austria Mar. 11,1929 

